[Mappaindy]

I have that ringing in my ears also ,it has nothing to do with diet ,i have had every test done ,and yes it does drive you nuts ,see your Dr but there is not a lot thy can do ,i have been told i have to live with it

[Alliopeti]

Hello! I am new here and need some advice; my doctors advice is; ditch the ATKINS and all low carb diets, but hey with weight loss going so well, I am loathe to. I have lost 3 kilos in about 5 weeks on atkins(eating enough fats and veggies) and have only another 4 kilos to go, BUT I have developed crippling low blood pressure ( 80/50) which has left me DRAINED of energy (I thought you were supposed to feel FULL of energy on Atkins??) and have developed tinnitus which is a constant sound like a Star Wars laser buzzing in my left ear.OK I know this is not 'normal' but why should atkins cause these problems.?
Merci if anyone could give me help/advice.

[Junrlaeh]

From the Mayo Clinic...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/low...-home-remedies

Note the last suggestion:

"Eat small, low-carb meals. To help prevent blood pressure from dropping sharply after meals, eat small portions several times a day and limit high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Drinking caffeinated coffee or tea with meals may temporarily raise blood pressure, in some cases by as much as 3 to 14 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). But because caffeine can cause other problems, check with your doctor before increasing your caffeine intake."

Did your doctor tell you do something (other than stop Atkins) or give you anything for this? Did he/she tell you WHY your BP is so low?? Treatment depends on the cause...

What YOU can do... drink more water (increase your blood volume) and increase your sodium intake (increases your fluid/blood volume). You're tired/fatigued because your BP is so low. Not because of the diet. Even on a high carb diet you'd be tired with BP that low.

I have low BP. Not as low as yours, but borderline. I'm cold all the time because of it. I also have to be very careful when I stand up from being bent over (like when I weed the garden). The other day I forgot and stood up way too fast... the world went round and round and I started to black out. I dropped to the ground and put my head down between my knees. Scared the dickens out of my DH! But it's my normal, everyday thing I USUALLY do better at...

One other thing... have you had more than one low reading?? Have you had it read at different times of the day... before and after eating... before and after exercise? SO many things factor into your BP reading that one random reading doesn't mean much.

In the end, though... do your own research. Ask more questions of your doctor. Heck, see a different doctor for another opinion. And does your doctor know what you're eating on Atkins? He/she may be thinking that all you're eating is bacon, eggs, cheese and meat. Bring a food log in... show your doctor what you're eating. You ARE eating all the veggies, right?? Drinking all the water?? Exercising?? Taking a general vitamin supplement? Limiting your cheese, In other words... you ARE following the rules of Atkins, RIGHT??? If you don't call it "Atkins" and you show your log, I can't imagine any doctor would say to not eat this way!!!

Good luck... and be your own best advocate.